


Chrismukkah in the City

by Gemmi999



Category: Glee
Genre: Chrismukkah, Gift Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-16
Updated: 2012-01-16
Packaged: 2017-10-29 15:38:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/321467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gemmi999/pseuds/Gemmi999
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>When Kurt realized he couldn’t go home for Christmas, he almost cried. He refrained, though, because he was sitting in his Psychology 121 (Psychology of Human Growth and Development) lecture and none of his classmates needed to see him with runny makeup and raccoon eyes. Instead, he waited until he was safely in his apartment and could read the email through completely. It didn’t say much, just: There’s a bill that needs to be looked over, and I got put onto the National Endowment of the Arts subcommittee and Kurt read between the lines.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Chrismukkah in the City

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the LJ community Puckurt's Chrismukkah gift fic exchange. I hope you enjoy it, way_to_the_end!

When Kurt realized he couldn’t go home for Christmas, he almost cried. He refrained, though, because he was sitting in his Psychology 121 (Psychology of Human Growth and Development) lecture and none of his classmates needed to see him with runny makeup and raccoon eyes. Instead, he waited until he was safely in his apartment and could read the email through completely. It didn’t say much, just: There’s a bill that needs to be looked over, and I got put onto the National Endowment of the Arts subcommittee and Kurt read between the lines.

He couldn’t go home for Christmas because his dad wouldn’t even be home; he’d be in Washington doing some political thing, and Kurt couldn’t even feel bad about it because he knew the only reason his dad had even run in the thing was because of him, because of how much the Glee club meant to him, and his dad wanted to be sure that other kids had the same opportunity.

So, he was stuck in New York City for Christmas; New York, his dream city. It wouldn’t be the end of the world. If anything, it’d be an adventure. At least that’s what he kept telling himself.

##

“Seriously, Finn--just get on a plane. I promise I’ll find a couch for you,” Kurt says.

“Couch hopping for Christmas.” Finn sounds a little discouraged.

“Couch hopping for Christmas in New York,” Kurt reminds him. “The city that never sleeps, the city that has hundreds of clubs for you to go to and seriously, thousands of girls that you can hit on. It should be a dream come true.”

“Rachel isn’t going to be there, right?”

“Her dad’s want her home.” Kurt says. “I thought you were doing better, though. She said you were talking.”

“We’re at least facebooking,” Finn sighs.

“Can I bring Puck? He needs a distraction.”

“Um...well...what about his sister? And mom? I thought he’d use the holiday to see them.”

“Naw, they’re doing some mother/daughter retreat through their temple.”

“Sure, well--um--the more the merrier?” Kurt asks.

##

“Can’t believe I’m visiting Hummel for Hanukkah,” Puck gripes to Finn as they board the plane.

“You could always stay home and visit Rachel and Quinn,” Finn says. “Hook up with the same girls you’ve been hooking up with since high school.”

“Dude,” Puck shakes his head. “You say that like there’s something wrong with hooking up with girls.”

“No, no--” Finn shakes his head. “Dude, I’m all for the girls, you know that. Just--you could hook up with Lima girls, OR you could hook up with New York girls. Or boys.”

“And take them back to Hummel’s couch?”

Finn slides into his seat, tucking his laptop bag in front of him. “You gotta at least call him Kurt, dude. He’s totally putting your sorry ass up for the holiday.”

“He’s putting both our asses up,” Puck says. “And what’s wrong with Hummel? I’ve been calling him that since Junior year.”

Finn sighs. “Look--just--it’s Kurt, okay? He’s basically opening up his incredibly tiny apartment for you--”

“For us.” Puck interrupts.

“Ah, yeah, about that...” Finn trails off. “It’s kinda small, dude. Not enough room for three of us without it getting too uncomfortable. So he’s stashing me with Blaine.”

“You’re staying with the hobbit and I get Hummel? That’s a bit fucked up, you should crash with me and let your brother and the hobbit hook up.”

Finn shudders. “Dude, Blaine and Kurt don’t trust either of us in their dorms without supervision. And I don’t trust you and the hobbit together.”

“It’s not like I’d hurt the tiny fucker.”

“No, you’d just bring girls back to his place and traumatize him for life.”

“You say it like the dudes never seen naked chicks before--he’s totally gay, he’s seen more then both of us.” Puck winked, jokingly.

“Yeah, that isn’t what would traumatize him, dude. Your naked ass, though...”

“Dude, I get tons of gay guys complimenting my ass! It’s like, grade A, fine ass meat or something.”

“You just called your ass ‘ass meat’ Puck.” Finn shook his head. “You’re going to room with Kurt and let me deal with the hobbit, okay? Besides, Blaine has a totally sick game system hookup and while he’s whining about how difficult it is to find love in the big city, I can play the new Call of Duty.” Finn looks decidedly smug as he says this, which means Puck isn’t going to be able to change his mind.

“Fuck you, dude. A week with Hummel and no video games is like, punishment. Not a Hanukkah gift.”

“I never said he didn’t have video games, dude.” Finn grins. “He has that Singstar game, and at least a few different versions of Karaoke and Rock Band.”

“Dick,” Puck mutters before growing quiet. The fasten seatbelt sign clicks on.

##

Kurt doesn’t doubt himself often, but one look at Noah Puckerman’s face and the horror of the entire situation comes crashing down. He’s invited Puck, the guy that used to throw him into dumpsters, into his dorm. He’s invited him to sleep on the couch and use his space and Kurt thought he was mostly okay with the idea. Just--seeing Puck, seeing his dumb Mohawk and scowling face--brings to mind all the ways this could be a horrible decision.

“Yo--” Puck looks at Kurt and if Kurt didn’t know any better, he’d say Puck was nervous. “Finn just went to drop his stuff at Blaine’s.” Puck shifts from foot to foot. “Um--” Puck puts his duffel on the opposite shoulder.

“Oh, wait--come in.” Kurt backs up and lets Puck into the room. “Sorry, just--”

Puck nods at him. “I get it,” he offers, being polite enough not to mention the elephant in the room.

Kurt smiles slightly. “Can I offer you some tea? Or hot chocolate?” He looks at a tiny electric kettle and shrugs. “I’d offer you something else, but um, I don’t keep alcohol in the room.”

Puck sets his bag down. “No, it’s cool.” He looks at Kurt and Kurt fights the urge to blush. “Tea’d be great, actually.” Puck rubs his hand through his hair and sighs. “Look--Hummel--”

Kurt pauses: “I’d prefer it if you called me Kurt, actually.”

Puck takes a second before he responds: “Look, Kurt--I don’t do this, I mean...”

“It’s okay, Puck.” Kurt says, pulling out three mugs and a canister of tea.

“No--” Puck shakes his head. “Just, let me say this dude.” Puck nods, takes a deep breath and starts again. “I appreciate you putting up with my sorry ass for the next week, it probably wasn’t your first choice and you’re only doing it because Finn asked you to, but ah, it’s surprisingly cool of you.”

Kurt nods. “If you’re finished?” Then, without waiting for Puck to even reply, he says: “You’re right, it isn’t my first choice, but not for the reason you think. I’d much rather be in Lima right now with my dad and Carole and my old room--and Gaga, I never thought I’d say I’d prefer to be in Lima--but I can’t be. So, you and Finn coming here, it’s like Lima is coming to New York and its making Christmas suck surprisingly less then I thought it would, so really, I owe you a thank you.”

Puck looks like he’s about to respond but before he gets a chance, there’s a loud knock at the door.

“It’s open!” And then Finn and Blaine are standing in the tiny dorm and Kurt’s grabbing a fourth mug and any moment that might have been there is gone.

##

“Dude, this is fucking crazy expensive.” Puck says, glancing down at the menu in front of him. “Like, $23 for some freakin pasta?”

“It’s delicious pasta, Puck.” Kurt says, rolling his eyes. “Not Breadstix.”

“Don’t go hating on the Stix, dude.” Puck shakes his head. “If the whole city is this expensive, though--” He doesn’t say anything else, but then again he really doesn’t need to.

“Tell me about it,” Blaine says. “I mean, I knew it’d be expensive but I wasn’t prepared for this. Especially compared to Westerville. I’m just lucky that my parents are supporting this...” He trails off.

Kurt shakes his head. “Puck, yes, this is expensive but I promise you that most places aren’t this bad. There’s tons of free stuff to do, and cheap restaurants. You just have to know how to find them.”

“And Kurt has wonderful Google-Fu.” Blaine adds in.

Kurt blushes at the praise. “Not really, just--”

“You at least know how to look.” Blaine says. “I’d probably have spent tons more money if it wasn’t for you and your mad Yelping skills.”

“He did that in Lima, too.” Finn says. “He could make something out of just about anything. Remember the costumes for New Directions?”

“How could I forget?” Blaine shakes his head. “I particularly liked your shirts from Born This Way...”

“Yeah, well.” Puck jumped into the conversation. “I’m just glad it’s not going to be all this crazy expensive because some of us still need to afford textbooks and meals next semester.”

“Don’t worry--I have a whole list of activities we can do that are basically free, so you can save your money for...” Kurt pauses, looks at Puck. “What’re you studying, anyway?”

Puck ducks his head and blushes a little. “Um, well--”

“Dude, it’s so cool!” Finn smiles at his brother. “He’s studying like, sociology and stuff. He wants to work with kids that were in Juvie and stuff, like he was, make it easier for them.”

Kurt smiles at this. “That is really cool, Puck. Sounds like something right up your alley.”

“Well--” Puck nods. “Just--I mean, I was screwed up and I had people looking out for me; think about the kids that don’t have anybody! They’re probably even more screwed up then I was, and probably not nearly as bad ass about it.”

“Dude, plus you can help them with like, figuring out that whole Kinsey thing you told me about.” Finn nods.

“Kinsey?” Blaine asks, mouth open in shock.

“Yeah, dude here is like a friggin genius or something--” Finn pokes Puck’s shoulder. “And he had trouble realizing he likes dick just as much as he likes pussy. The other kids are probably like, just as fucked up about it.” Finn pauses: “Like Karofsky!”

Kurt doesn’t say anything for a second, just looks at Finn and Puck, at the look of dawning horror on Finn’s face as he realizes what he said, what he did.

“Well, I for one think you’d make a great mentor.” Blaine smiled at Puck. “If you even need advice on how to help people come out, though...”

“Don’t go to him,” Kurt finishes with a slight laugh. “I’m pretty sure his awful advice is why Karofsky ended up switching schools in the end.”

“Hey! I was young and didn’t know any better!” Blaine protests half-heartedly.

“You had us confront him on a crowded staircase where anybody could have overheard.” Kurt shakes his head. “You were a good boyfriend, you’re still a great friend, but you are not someone that I’d go to for advice about coming out.”

Blaine sighs. “I try my best and this is what it gets me, a friend that knows me too well and an entire city that apparently has no taste because I’ve been here for six months and have yet to go on a date. Woe is me.”

Puck and Finn both crack up at this and Kurt smiles, kicking Blaine’s shine gently under the table and shooting him thumbs up. Blaine smiles slightly and says: “Just for that, I’m not going to buy your dinner Kurt Hummel. Finn and Puck’s, yes, but not yours.”

“Dude, you don’t need to--”

“I most certainly do!” Blaine says, shaking his head and not listening to their protests. “The whole reason we came here is because I like their pasta and Kurt’s sick of my whining, asking if we can come back.”

“The only reason we come here is because Blaine thinks the assistant manager is cute, but he doesn’t want to admit that he has a thing for middle management, especially after the Gap Attack,” Kurt laughs.

“You--” Blaine says, not even pretending to be serious anymore.

“Hmm, you sure it’s middle management and not skinny ties?” Puck asks, looking around the room. “Because all the waiters and shit have them on.”

“Hmmm,” Kurt pretends to consider this. “He might just have a fetish for skinny ties, now that you mention it. He definitely had a thing for Wes and well, Wes preferred skinny ties over the Dalton ones, from what I remember.”

The evening devolves from there, the four men taking turns making fun of one another and catching up on all that they’ve missed in the previous months. By the time the bill is settled (and Blaine pays, despite what Puck and Finn have to say about it) Kurt feels more relaxed and at home then he has for most of his time in New York. He loves the city, the culture, the atmosphere; he doesn’t deny that. But part of him has missed home, missed the friendships and the history between everyone in New Directions. Having Rachel and Blaine nearby helped a little, but he’d still felt homesick for much of the first semester. Now, though--with Finn and Puck and Blaine busy talking about college football, he feels at ease in a way he hasn’t before.

If he couldn’t go home to Lima, well--it’s like he told Puck earlier--he’s glad that part of Lima came to visit him.

##

Kurt’s alarm wakes him bright and early the following morning. He resents it a little, waking up early during his break, but he’d promised Finn and Puck a tour of the city that wasn’t expensive. And ever since he’d watched Big with Finn, well, he knew Finn would appreciate seeing FAO Schwartz in person. Playing on the huge piano that took up the entire floor.

And yeah, they could visit later in the day but that would involve things like lines and waiting in the sun, neither of which Kurt was a big fan of. He pulls himself out of bed and starts the electric kettle, after filling it with water. He’ll make hot chocolate and grab some breakfast bars, so they could eat as they walked.

“Hum--Kurt?” Puck says, voice blurry. “What’re you doing up so fucking early?”

Kurt smiles. “You can go back to sleep--we’re not leaving for an hour or so but it takes time for me to get ready.”

“Leaving?” Puck’s voice is full of confusion. “Dude, it’s not even 7:30 yet.”

“Which is why I said you should go back to sleep. I’ll wake you in a little while.”

Kurt’s considering outfits for the day when Puck finally makes his way out of bed; The two don’t talk as they get dressed, but the silence isn’t uncomfortable--if anything, the silence is slow and quiet and reminds Kurt of home for reasons he really doesn’t even want to consider.

He’s pouring the hot chocolate into separate thermoses when Blaine knocks on the door. Puck opens it with a grin, laughing silently at Finn’s tired form.

“It’s early,” Finn whines as Blaine and Puck and Kurt gather the last of their belongings.

Kurt smirks at Finn’s whine. “Well, you can go back to sleep if you want, and the three of us can go to the toy store...”

Finn immediately perks up. “The huge one, from the movie?!”

Kurt smiles and doesn’t answer, just pushes his friends out of the dorm and into the hallway, locking the door behind him.

“The ginormous one with the piano?!” Finn asks as the group walks towards the stairs.

##

“This rocks!” Finn calls out from the floor of the toy store. He’s running back and forth over the giant piano, jumping up and down on the keys and making the most awful noise Kurt has ever had the misfortune to hear.

“Why did I bring him here?” He asks, rhetorically.

“Better he get his energy out now then in the dorm,” Puck says with a laugh.

“You make it sound like he’s a puppy...” Kurt looks at his brother and shakes his head: “you’re right, actually. Much better for him to get his energy out now.”

“Besides, now that he’s entertained and Blaine’s off hitting on the assistant manager--” Puck pauses, falls silent, trails a finger over Kurt’s hand.

“Puck,” Kurt sighs, exasperatedly.

“Dude, just trying to be friendly, get into the holiday spirit and all.” Puck says unrepentantly, grinning from ear to ear and eyes twinkling.

“Go flirt with one of the salesgirls. I’m going to find Blaine and make sure he’s not getting in over his head.”

“I’m telling you, it’s the skinny ties.” Puck calls out over his shoulder as he walks away. “He can’t keep his hands off of them.”

Kurt takes a breath before turning and looking for his friend. He doesn’t want to admit it, but he’s pretty sure Puck’s right, that Blaine does have a thing for skinny ties and assistant managers. Gaga, out of all the things to have a fetish for. No wonder they didn’t make it past high school--Kurt wouldn’t be caught dead in a skinny tie.

##

After FAO Schwartz, the foursome walk around town, looking at all the display cases. Kurt’s slightly thankful that Finn and Puck are both there, because he’s sure if they weren’t his entire budget for the following semester would have been spent between the amazing Nordstrom’s display with some impeccable Gucci boots and the Sax Fifth Avenue Marc Jacobs window.

They’re near Canal street, and Kurt’s debating if he wants to take Finn and Puck there, deal with the crowds for some knockoffs that he knows he can’t pull off--his skin almost breaks out when it’s touching polyester, and he doesn’t even want to think about what would happen if he carried a Jack Spode bag, even if the knockoff was much cheaper then the bag he’d been eyeing over Thanksgiving. Besides, he’d left it up on his dad’s computer a couple times and the two of them have worked out a pretty good holiday gift giving deal: Kurt mentions things he wanted, and Burt bought one or two of them that wouldn’t put the entire family into bankruptcy.

“Time for lunch soon, dude?” Finn asks Blaine. “Because this is fun and all, but I really could kill for some pizza and wings.”

“You just want to try out the fake ID I scored you,” Puck scoffs.

Kurt hears this and immediately pulls out his phone, scrolls through dozens of lists he’s created in an effort to make this an enjoyable holiday season for all four of the friends, and then smiles. “You’re in luck, there’s a place nearby that does all you can eat wings, with fries and onion rings and beer,”.

“I’m in!” Puck says, grinning. “But do they have something you’ll eat, Princess?”

“What makes you think I won’t eat wings and fries?”

“Um, high school?” Pucks says with a grin.

“Kurt’s changed since high school,” Blaine says. “He eats real boy food now and doesn’t worry about his pores constantly.”

“Fuck you, Blaine,” Kurt says with a huff. “Just because I eat wings and pizza, in moderation, doesn’t mean I’ve changed.”

“No, no.” Blaine shakes his head with a laugh. “But the fact that you’ve made out with guys in bars does.”

Kurt feels his face go red. “You were in the backroom with one of your skinny tie wearing guys!”

“And I had fun, as did you. That’s all I’m saying.” Blaine holds his hands up and backs down.

“Wait, wait--” Finn looks between Kurt and Blaine in shock. “You guys have fake ID’s?”

“That’s what you’re choosing to focus on, Finnosence?” Puck laughs. “I’m more interested in finding out exactly how much ass Hummel here has gotten over the past few months. Maybe having me crash with him is ruining his style.”

Kurt’s face turns even brighter red and he says, impatiently: “How much...ass...I get isn’t something you need to know about, Puck. Now, come on, lets go get wings and fries.”

“Only if you spill over lunch, Hummel.” Puck says with a grin. “You heard all about my conquests in high school...”

“Not by choice,” Kurt mutters.

“AND I think you owe it to me. Think of it like this--I’m new to the land of gay and I need advice, mentorship, to figure out exactly how to hook up with guys in public and not get caught...”

“You think I did something like that in PUBLIC?” Kurt screeches this last word out, no longer embarrassed. “Noah Puckerman, just who do you think I am? Some type of...floozy! Like you went with in high school? I’m not Santana Lopez, or Brittany Pierce or any of your cougars! Just because I happen to have to discovered how flipping hot sex is does not mean I am somebody who is going to sleep and tell!”

Puck looks at Kurt and winces. “Um--”

“No, Puckerman. I’m not done! I invited you into my dorm room and gave up my couch and I’ve been trying to be nothing but kind and nice to you because I realize how much it sucks to not be around family during the holidays, and this is how you treat me! Like--like--” He trails off.

“Dude,” Puck says, offended. “I’m treating you like one of the guys, ‘cause, ya know, you are?”

Kurt hears this and takes a deep breath, lets it out. He doesn’t say anything, just looks at Puck and Blaine and Finn, off as far away from the trio as he could possibly be and still remain in eyesight, and sighs.

“Look--”

“Seriously, Hummel. I don’t think you’re a slut or anything, just--” Puck falls silent.

“Just what, Puck?” Kurt asks, voice tentative.

“Nothing.” Puck says, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Just forget it, let’s go get wings and fries and leave this entire godforsaken fight behind us.” He doesn’t wait for an answer before walking off down the street, scowling.

Blaine looks at Puck and then at Kurt, shrugging. “I think, maybe, he’s confused?”

“I think I just screwed something up.” Kurt offers back.

“Naw--” Blaine says with a smile, bumping his shoulder against Kurt’s. “If anything, I think you just opened his eyes. Made him see you instead of the kid from high school.”

“You say this like it’s a good thing,” Kurt mutters.

“Isn’t it?” Blaine grins. “I mean, I know how hot you found him in high school, and now he knows that you aren’t a shy virgin, so...”

“If you’re hinting at what I think you’re hinting at, Blaine Anderson, I think you need to get your head examined.”

Blaine backs off a little, turns to follow Puck down the street. Before he catches up to Puck, however he turns around and says one more thing to Kurt: “He has a really nice ass, Kurt, and I know how much you appreciate that. Just--think about it.”

And to Kurt’s horror, he does.

##

They’re sitting in Kurt’s dorm, watching Boondock Saints. It’s comfortable and cozy, with both of them sitting on the couch. Puck feels warm against Kurt’s side and it takes almost all of Kurt’s effort to not look at Puck and keep his eyes glued to the screen. Ever since Blaine pointed out how fantastic Puck’s ass was, well, Kurt’s been hard pressed not to think about it.

“I can hear you thinking from here, Princess.” Puck says with a grin. “Why don’t you tell me what’s up.”

“I’m not a princess, Puck.” Kurt says, exasperated. “The name is Kurt, I know you know this because I’ve told you to call me that at least four times over the past few days.”

“But it’s more fun to call you princess and watch your face crinkle up, like you can’t decide if you want to be mad or laugh.”

Kurt groans, because if Puck is already finding it fun to tease him, then the nicknames aren’t going to stop anytime soon.

“What’s going on, Kurt?” Puck asks again, voice serious. “Why are you thinking so hard I can practically feel how tense your body is when we could be watching--” Puck looks at the screen and Kurt can feel him bounce a little on the couch. “When we could be watching two, decidedly hot brothers, beat the shit out of the bad guys?”

Kurt shrugs in response, not taking his eyes away from the screen. Maybe if he doesn’t actually look at Puck then the entire conversation will magically disappear.

Puck reaches out and pushes pause on the remote, before turning and looking at Kurt. “Seriously, what’s up? You can’t still be mad that Blaine and Finn went out without us.”

Kurt shakes his head. “No, no. I’m glad they went out, Finn needs to meet somebody and get his mind off Rachel...”

“And Blaine needs to meet more middle management types?” Puck cracks, making Kurt smile slightly.

“I wouldn’t say that, necessarily. Just--” Kurt starts before flushing red. “He needs to get laid, alright? He gets really uptight and anal around the holidays ANYWAY because of his family and not getting some really isn’t helping him.”

“And you, do you get uptight around the holidays?” Puck asks with a leer.

Kurt blushes and doesn’t answer.

“I think I hit the nail on the head,” Puck laughs. “If me and Finn weren’t here, you’d probably be getting it on with Blaine,”.

“No!” Kurt denies, loudly.

“But you two totally did it all the time in high school. We used to joke about it, because Warbler dude would be all tense and angry, and then you’d disappear for awhile and suddenly both of you would be all sunshine and flowers.”

“Yes, in high school,” Kurt agrees.

“Why’d you two break up, anyway?” Puck asks. “If you were going at it like bunnies and enjoying it...” He trails off.

Kurt is silent for a second before he says: “Just because we were going at it like...bunnies” he says this with a wince. “That doesn’t mean everything was perfect between us. It was nice, figuring things out with Blaine, learning together.”

“I bet it was,” Puck says with a leer.

Kurt flushes. “But after we’d learned together and realized what we liked, well, we weren’t really compatible. And I’d much rather have him in my life as a friend then not have him at all, so.” Kurt shrugs.

“Both of you are bottoms, huh?” Puck asks. “I can see how that’d be difficult.”

Kurt doesn’t bother saying anything, just reaches out for the remote, intent on unpausing the movie and forgetting the entire mortifying conversation.

“Nu-uh,” Puck says, grabbing Kurt’s hand and pulling it back from the remote. “I asked what was wrong tonight, not what went wrong last year. Fess up, Princess.”

Kurt shivers at the feel of Puck’s hand on his; it’s larger, rougher, and for half-a-second he feels a shiver run up and down his spine. If Puck would hold his hand a little harder, make Kurt really feel it, he’s pretty sure he’d be moaning loudly and begging Puck to take him to his extra-long twin bed.

Instead, Kurt wrenches his hand away from Puck’s and stands up. “I’m going to go get some coffee from Starbucks. You should stay here and...” Kurt doesn’t finish his sentence, just looks at Puck and lets his eyes flick down to Puck’s lap, where there is a noticeable bulge.

“I’ll be back in twenty minutes. Do clean up.” Kurt says, walking towards the door with his back straight.

“Princess,” Puck calls out just as Kurt reaches the door. Kurt debates turning around but in the end does. Puck’s hand is on the bulge in his pants and Kurt shouldn’t find the sight nearly as hot as he did find it; this was Puck, Puck, Puckerman, the asshole who slept with Quinn and Rachel and Shelby and nearly every other girl at McKinley.

“Hurry back. If you’re fast enough, maybe you can join in.”

Kurt doesn’t bother replying, instead opens the door and walks into the hallway with his head held high. He really does want coffee, thinks it will make him calmer, settle his stomach. But now he has images of Puck masturbating in his dorm stuck in his head and they’re surprisingly hot.

Pulling out his phone, he quickly texts Blaine: ur evil. Puck has nice ass AND nice package. Jerk.

He feels a little better already.

##

By the time the first night of Hanukkah rolls around, Kurt and Puck have created a tentative truce. Puck hits on Kurt outrageously and Kurt ignores it; Kurt makes sure to bend over a lot and wear his tightest pants, letting Puck stare at his ass as much as he wants; Puck lingers when he hands something to Kurt and both of them flinch at the electricity that shocks them as they gently touch.

Kurt’s pretty sure he’s going to sleep with Puck by the end of the break, but for some reason he keeps putting it off. He doesn’t want to be just a one-night-stand for Puckerman, and at this point he’s pretty sure that’s all Puck is offering. Puck is in Lima (well, Cleveland) and Kurt’s in New York; they have basically nothing in common.

(Except music, Kurt reminds himself. He’d dragged Finn and Puck to a rehearsal session for the New York Pop Orchestra and the three of them had been in music nirvana, listening to professionals play music they’d spent years learning for Glee. Finn had wanted to go back the next day but Kurt put his foot down--$18 a ticket wasn’t bad for a rehearsal, especially compared to the $120 tickets for the shows, but he couldn’t afford to do it two days in a row. Puck had just said thanks, and then bought Kurt a hot chocolate from Coffee Bean, because as much as Kurt liked to deny it, he enjoyed hot chocolate and had spent the previous semester not worrying about the freshman 15, and he’d actually lost weight).

Tonight, though, tonight is something Kurt has wanted to do with Puck since he heard the Jewish man was coming to New York. So much of New York was about celebrating Christmas--the decorations, the songs, the atmosphere--and Kurt remembers how uncomfortable he’s felt, being surrounded by a culture that wasn’t his own. As soon as Finn had said Puck was coming, he’d been on Google, trying to find the best way to give Puck a Hanukkah to remember.

When he read about the world’s largest Menorah lighting, completely with Gelt, Dreidals and jelly donuts, well--making sure the two of them made it there was easy compared to the rest of his planning. Blaine agreed to drag Finn off to see the Upright Citizens Brigade, something Blaine’s been wanting to join since he heard about it, and Kurt’s plan is in motion. If he’d stopped at his RA’s door and grabbed a couple free condoms, well--he wasn’t planning an evening that would get him laid, but it never hurt to be prepared.

“Hurry up,” Kurt says, impatiently. “We have to be there by 5, earlier if we want a good view.”

“Where are we going, anyways?” Puck asks, grabbing a heavy sweatshirt and shoving it on.

“It’s a secret,” Kurt replies. “But we do need to leave, now!”

“Fine, fine.” Puck agrees. The two leave the dorm together, silent. As they walk towards the subway station, before Kurt can even really think about what he’s doing, he’s reaching out and holding Puck’s hand in his. Puck looks at him and smiles, then tightens his fingers.

Kurt is suddenly very thankful he grabbed the condoms from his RA.

##

“That’s a fucking huge menorah,” Puck says, looking at the two-ton thing in front of him. The square is cold and crowded, and Puck can smell warm Latkes being made along the sides of the park. He looks at Kurt and smiles.

“Yeah, well--” Kurt says awkwardly. “Happy Hanukkah?”

“Dork.” Puck grins out. “You brought me to the world’s largest menorah for the first night of Hanukkah.”

“Well, I was going to take you to see the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center but then I realized this might be more your thing.”

“Smartass.”

“You like my ass just the way it is,” Kurt jokes. “Smart and all.”

Puck smiles at him fondly. “You’re right, I do.” Then, before Puck can think about it, he leans forward and gently kisses Kurt. It only lasts a couple seconds but Puck shivers at the electricity that runs up and down his back.

“When is this thing going to be lit?” Puck asks, a few minutes later. It’s getting darker out, and the square is getting even more crowded. People are singing in Hebrew all around him and Puck wishes, for half-a-second, that he’d paid enough attention in Hebrew School to know what they were saying.

“Impatient much?” Kurt teases, then glances at his watch. “Any minute now, actually.”

“If I forget to say this later,” Puck pauses then physically turns and looks Kurt in the eye. “Thank you for making this a great holiday.”

Kurt blushes. He feels young, and in love, and he wants to say something but he isn’t sure what. Before he gets a chance to reply, though, a voice comes over the loudspeaker and announces that they’ll be starting in just a couple minutes.

##

He wakes up to the smell of fresh coffee and bagels, then pauses because there’s no way there’s fresh coffee in his dorm room. He doesn’t have a coffee machine (on purpose) and it’s early, super early, and they’d gone to bed so late.

He opens his eyes and blinks as sun assaults him. It’s bright and that means it’s at least noon, but he feels like he could close his eyes and go back to sleep for another few hours, easily. Burrowing down into his blanket he pauses because something isn’t right. The bed feels strangely empty and cold.

“Wake up, princess,”.

Kurt shifts and moans out: “but it’s early.”

“I have fresh coffee and bagels for you.”

Kurt sighs and then sits up in bed. “You, sir, are a gentleman.”

Puck shakes his head. “Wish I could say I thought of this, but Anderson brought them by. I’m just waking you up so you can eat while the coffee’s still warm.”

Kurt nods. “Blaine does that, sometimes. He wakes up and goes for long walks and then feels like he needs an excuse for the walk, so he buys coffee and bagels.”

Puck laughs at this. “I think it was more that Finn’s really hangover and Anderson wanted to have a peace offering, in case he turned violent. That Upright Citizen’s Brigade thing was apparently quite a success.”

Kurt reaches out and grabs a coffee from his nightstand. “Yeah, Blaine’s been enamored with it since we found out about it a few months ago.”

“What is it?”

“Basically a bunch of people get together at a theater and drink, then spontaneously pick a group of people from the audience and have them put on a play.”

Puck shakes his head. “I guess you really can find everything in New York.”

Kurt doesn’t say anything for a minute, drinks his coffee and eats his bagel. “Not everything,” he says, carefully, looking at Puck from beneath his eyelashes.

“We gonna do this, then?” Puck says. “Because I did have fun last night, hell, this entire break. You’re kind of cool to hang with Princess.”

Kurt nods. “Is there a ‘but’ coming?”

Puck shakes his head. “Not really, I mean, I’ve never done this long distance thing, but it’s gotta be easier because you’re in a kickass city that I love, and I’m basically in your hometown, where your family still lives. Tons of excuses to see each other.”

Kurt smiles at this. “I’ve never done long-distance either,” he says quietly. “But I think you may be worth it.”

“You mean my ass is worth it,” Puck grins. “I heard you’re basically an ass man and let me tell you, this is grade A ass meat--” Puck slaps his own butt and laughs.

“Blaine’s been talking to you, hasn’t he?”

Puck just laughs and shakes his head. “I’ll never tell.”

“Well--” Kurt says, setting his coffee down carefully on the bedside table before reaching out and grabbing Puck by his hand. “If you’re ass is so great, maybe I should get a better look at it, up close and personal.”

Puck gulps. “Uh, yeah.” He looks around the room and sighs. “Just--maybe you should grab a few more condoms from your RA? or Blaine?”

Kurt sighs. “Yeah, I’ll grab a few more. Maybe later we can run to the store and get a few boxes for the rest of your trip. Plus, I wanted to take you to see the light show at Grand Central Station.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Puck says before leaning over Kurt and pressing a quick kiss against his lips. “Sounds like a wonderful plan.”

“Mmmm,” Kurt agrees. “I do make wonderful plans, don’t I?”

“Yeah princess,” Puck laughs, reaching up and ruffling Kurt’s hair. “Yeah, you do.”


End file.
